Alice the Amazing ⇒ STRANGER THINGS

[59] The Vecna Investigation 2.0

{The Monster & the Superhero, Part II}

With a freshly bandaged hand, Alice read old newspaper clippings over Nancy's shoulder. Nancy paused on an article from the Roane Daily Citizen titled "CREEL FOUND GUILTY" before zipping ahead to a piece in the Indianapolis Gazette: "3 Dead as Police Probe Grisly Scene."

"Geez," Alice muttered. "What a sicko."

"Anything juicy over there?" Robin called from her spot opposite the other girls.

"Same old story," Nancy said. "Every time."

"Victor seemed like a normal guy," Robin said. "Dead family, missing eyes, took a plea deal, sent to Pennhurst, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." She leaned around her screen. "What are we looking for, exactly?"

Alice leaned around the screen she shared with Nancy.

"Mentions of dark wizards," Alice said. "Or alternate dimensions. Or Freddy-Krueger-like nightmares befalling anyone in the Creel family."

"Well," Robin said, "there's definitely none of that reported in the Chicago Sun Times."

"I was so sure it all had to be connected," Nancy said with a huff. She stood from her stool and paced away with her hands on her hips. "But now it's starting to feel like a big waste of time. We're getting nowhere!"

"We can't give up yet!" Robin said. "Maybe we're just not looking in the right papers."

"You two should just call Steve," Nancy said. "Have him pick you up. I'm not really in danger here. I can research the Creel murders while you two help the others with...whatever they figured out at Ms. Kelley's."

The mention of Steve sent Alice spiraling with rumination: Does Nancy sound jealous? What if Nancy still has feelings for Steve? Is she mad at me? Does she think I'm a homewrecker?

"I'll go find some more film," Alice said, stumbling off her stool. "Back in a flash."

She disappeared into the labyrinth of file cabinets, trying to ignore her mind's unhelpful commentary. It wasn't actually Vecna talking to her this time—it was her own brain feeding itself lies.

Nancy is so much better than me, Alice thought. Prettier, smarter, more popular, more normal. She's Steve's dream girl.

"Shut up, shut up," Alice muttered aloud as she searched for more records about the Creel murders and similar events.

"I haven't actually said anything yet," Nancy joked.

Nancy had followed Alice to the stacks and watched with a curious eye as Alice mumbled.

"Sorry," Alice said. "I was talking to myself. I'm just thinking about a lot of things right now. A lot of things I'd rather not think about."

"Is it Vecna?" Nancy asked, eyes wide. "Have you seen or heard anything new?"

"Nothing new," Alice said. "But...something he said last night is really bothering me."

"You can tell me," Nancy said, "if you want to talk."

Alice swallowed hard. She was about to do her usual move—shut down, retreat, not speak about it. But she was tired of hiding things from her friends.

"Vecna appeared as Barb," Alice blurted out.

Nancy let out a small gasp. "Barb?"

"Yeah," Alice said. "And he made her say that I...that I stole Steve from you. And that you were his first true love, and that he'd go back to you when he gets tired of...being with me." She couldn't even look at Nancy as she added, "I swear, I never meant to steal him. I didn't even start liking him until you were with Jonathan. You have to believe me!"